Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital Launches 'Baby Head Shape Clinic' — Strengthening Regional Medical Support with Evidence-Based Cranial Screening and Diagnostic-Driven Treatment Options

Japan Medical Company, Inc. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO Hideaki Ohno, hereinafter 'the Company') announces the opening of the 'Baby Head Shape Clinic' at Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital (Toshima-ku, Tokyo), operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital Organization, a local independent administrative corporation. This marks the second facility under the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital Organization to offer cranial orthosis therapy using the Company's proprietary helmets, following the Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, which utilizes the Company's products for post-surgical treatment of pathological cranial deformities.

At this clinic, medical professionals will conduct evidence-based cranial examinations to address parental concerns about infant head shape, performing appropriate evaluations including differential diagnosis for pathological cranial deformities. Based on the infant's age, developmental stage, and severity of symptoms, the clinic will recommend home care, observation, necessary tests, or treatment options, thereby establishing a proper medical referral pathway within the community.

│ Background: Rising Awareness and the Need for a Specialized Access Point

In recent years, parental awareness of infant head shape abnormalities has increased due to changes in parenting environments and the widespread use of social media. At the same time, many caregivers feel anxious amid the abundance of information and struggle to determine 'where to seek care' or 'what medical response is appropriate.'

Additionally, public health guidance promoting back-sleeping to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) has become widespread, leading to a higher incidence of positional cranial deformities caused by head-tilting habits. Given this context, there is a growing need for proper cranial screening that includes differential diagnosis, clear explanations, and a referral system to specialized evaluations when necessary.

│ Clinic Features: Integrated Diagnostic and Treatment Pathway from Evaluation to Decision-Making

The clinic will conduct appropriate assessments based on physician evaluations, including differential diagnosis between positional cranial deformities (changes in head shape due to head-tilting habits) and pathological conditions such as craniosynostosis. Depending on the diagnosis, the clinic will provide guidance on age- and development-appropriate care (e.g., repositioning techniques, tummy time), recommend observation, and, when necessary, present treatment options including helmet therapy.

If pathological cranial deformity is suspected or diagnosed, the hospital will provide comprehensive care within its facility, including specialized evaluations with additional tests and surgical interventions when required. By offering a seamless pathway—from differential diagnosis and treatment planning to surgical intervention and postoperative follow-up—all within a single institution, the clinic aims to alleviate parental anxieties about 'where to go next' or 'what to do next.'

The Company will continue to collaborate with Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital and other medical institutions nationwide to enhance the quality of care for pathological cranial deformities by strengthening its products, technologies, and operational systems. Moving forward, we remain committed to building a society where infants and their families can access medical care with confidence.

Below is a list of medical facilities nationwide where postoperative helmet therapy for pathological cranial deformities—including craniosynostosis—is available using the Company's helmets.

[Hokkaido] Hokkaido Children's Comprehensive Medical and Rehabilitation Center

[Fukushima Prefecture] Juyo Hospital, operated by the Yuasa Ho-on-kai Public Interest Foundation

[Tochigi Prefecture] Jichi Medical University Tochigi Children's Medical Center

[Gunma Prefecture] Gunma University Hospital

[Tokyo] Keio University Hospital

[Tokyo] Juntendo University Hospital

[Tokyo] Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center

[Tokyo] Head Shape Clinic Tokyo Nihonbashi (from 0 years old)

[Tokyo] Head Shape Clinic Omotesando Jingumae (from 0 years old)

[Kanagawa Prefecture] Kanagawa Children's Medical Center

[Toyama Prefecture] Toyama University Hospital

[Ishikawa Prefecture] Kanazawa University Hospital

[Nagano Prefecture] Nagano Children's Hospital

[Aichi Prefecture] Nagoya Garden Clinic / Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center

[Osaka Prefecture] Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital

[Osaka Prefecture] Kansai Medical University Hospital

[Osaka Prefecture] Osaka Mother and Child Medical Center

[Osaka Prefecture] Head Shape Clinic Kansai (from 0 years old)

[Hyogo Prefecture] Hyogo Children's Hospital

[Nara Prefecture] Nara Medical University Hospital

[Tottori Prefecture] Tottori University Hospital

[Hiroshima Prefecture] Hiroshima University Hospital

[Yamaguchi Prefecture] Yamaguchi University Hospital

[Kagawa Prefecture] Shikoku Children's and Adult Medical Center

[Fukuoka Prefecture] Kyushu University Hospital

[Fukuoka Prefecture] University of Occupational and Environmental Health Hospital

[Fukuoka Prefecture] Head Shape Clinic Fukuoka (from 0 years old)

[Nagasaki Prefecture] Nagasaki University Hospital

[Kumamoto Prefecture] Kumamoto City Hospital

│ Certification by the Japan Helmet Therapy Evaluation and Accreditation Organization

Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital is certified as an 'Accredited Treatment Medical Institution' by the Japan Helmet Therapy Evaluation and Accreditation Organization, a general incorporated association. The organization sets specific criteria for medical institutions and physicians to ensure the quality of cranial screening and helmet therapy.

Requirements include:

- Physicians affiliated with the institution must complete the organization's certification training (※Note) and pass the certification exam. - Staff must complete on-site training at university hospitals or children's hospitals that conduct cranial screening and orthotic treatment. - The facility must possess necessary equipment such as X-ray for differential diagnosis.

The organization recommends that accredited medical institutions conduct proper cranial screening using X-ray or CT scans, exclude pathological causes, and introduce helmet therapy only when necessary—defining the standard for a 'Head Shape Clinic' and 'appropriate helmet therapy.'

Related website: Japan Helmet Therapy Evaluation and Accreditation Organization

※About Certification Training: Specialists including physicians, midwives, lawyers, and a Singapore-based expert gathered in Tokyo to advance the 'standardization' of appropriate diagnosis and treatment for infant head shape abnormalities.

│ About Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital: Function as a Regional Medical Support Hospital

Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital operates as a regional medical support hospital under the Medical Care Act, collaborating with local medical institutions to provide a wide range of acute-care services. With 413 approved beds and approximately 950 outpatients per day, the hospital serves as a key medical hub in central Tokyo.

By establishing the 'Baby Head Shape Clinic' on this foundation, the hospital aims to create a clear, specialized consultation point for the local community—particularly within Tokyo's wards—thereby advancing the development of a proper cranial screening and care delivery system.

│ Comments from Clinic Physicians at Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital

Dr. Yutaka Ohtsubo, Vice President, Department of Neurosurgery

'Parental concern about infant head shape is increasing, and I can feel daily the growing awareness of corrective treatment. As a pediatric neurosurgeon, it is extremely important to determine whether there is an underlying bone disease. While considering the child's future brain morphology and condition months or even years ahead, I conduct thorough examinations—not just simple X-rays, but full pediatric neurosurgical assessments in the outpatient clinic setting.'

'We will carefully and gently examine your child's head shape.'

Please make use of the 'Head Shape Clinic' at Tokyo Metropolitan Otsuka Hospital.

Dr. Kazuki Furumichi, Chief of Pediatrics

[Qualifications and Affiliations]

Specialist in Pediatrics, Japanese Board of Pediatrics, Japan Medical Specialty Board

Certified Pediatric Instructor, Japan Pediatric Society

Clinical Training Supervisor, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Specialist in Pediatric Cardiology, Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology; Council Member

Ph.D. in Medicine

Our hospital supports perinatal care in northwestern Tokyo and serves as a key facility with frequent opportunities to treat newborns and infants. In recent years, accurate diagnosis of